Recommended by Rachel Luann Strayer

Complex, timely, and poignant, DARK SKINNED PAVEMENT is an incredibly thoughtful piece that deftly balances the juxtaposition of personal grief with public tragedy. Young draws the reader into this family's personal crisis inches at a time, revealing morsels of plot that add up to a staggering final moment that is both triumphant and tragic. Highly recommended!

An intriguing taste of remorse in an unexpected location. Succinct & thoughtful.

I love this gem of a play by Matthew Weaver! So relatable, not only because I adore Kristen Bell/Veronica Mars (LoVe 4 ever), but because I, too, have played the "who has what I wish I had?" game with depressing results. Weaver's play reminds us not only that comparison is the thief of joy, but that even the people we envy don't live their best life all the time. What matters is appreciating our best life moments (and people!) when they're right in front of us.

Wicked & witty - two of my favorite elements of British comedy. Pure fun with a dash of terror!

A lovely little script that dances on the border of horror and humor, giving the director & actors wonderful options.

As someone who recently almost failed to correctly assemble a piece of furniture from IKEA, I found Carbajal's script very relatable, as well as fun and surprising. A great short piece about how our perceived failures can sometimes work out for the best.

Powerful, challenging, thought-provoking play. The non-linear timeline creates a layer of doubt that really challenges the audience to reconsider their preconceived notions about the definition of rape, their idea of consent, and the double-standards women face that prevent them from reporting when they know the unthinkable has happened.

A beautiful window into the lives of two teenagers, each with their own burdens, but tied together through what they share in common. I love that it's a two-hander, allowing us to focus on the isolation and detachment each character feels. The use of text messages as projections feels contemporary and would be great to see executed. I hope that high school directors take a good look at this play, both for the sake of the students with whom it will resonate and for those who need to experience what it's like to look through someone else's eyes.

WOLVES OF SHERWOOD is a fun twist on the Robin Hood legend, full of action, romance, and most importantly, swordfights. While you'll recognize a number of familiar names, there are fresh new characters to enjoy and even a few reinventions of our favorites. This play seems ideally suited to a high school cast, but is likely to delight an audience of any age.

I've been a fan of Caridad Svich ever since reading TWELVE OPHELIAS and WRECKAGE for my grad school thesis exploring the use of Ophelia & Medea in contemporary plays. RED BIKE is a completely different type of play, but just as moving and incisive. What carries across all her works is the beautiful, poetic language. In RED BIKE, Svich captures the innocent thrill of young adulthood as it crashes into real-world struggles like poverty, over-work, and the elusive concept of joy. Her flexible casting structure serves the story well & I look forward to seeing several iterations.